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Explores risk awareness and protective behaviors in young Australians using online dating apps, indicating a need for improved safety measures.
Even today, despite widespread warnings and safety guidelines, online dating risks remain a significant concern for young adults. This study empirically investigates the behaviors and beliefs of young Australians (aged 18–30) who use online dating applications and identifies key predictors of the “awareness-adherence gap,” the difference between knowing the risks and executing protective measures. Integrating the Lifestyle-Routine Activities Theory (LRAT) with Optimism Bias, we use Tobit regression to identify these predictors of safety behaviors when engaging with online dating applications. The results reveal two critical insights. First, high-intensity usage (concurrently using five or more platforms) predicts significantly lower risk awareness, suggesting that routinized use breeds overconfidence and diminishes vigilance. Second, geography critically shapes guardianship; rural users demonstrate a significantly larger awareness-adherence gap than their urban counterparts, highlighting structural vulnerabilities in isolated areas. We conclude that high awareness does not automatically lead to protection. Therefore, policy strategies must move beyond passive education. We call for more integrated implementation of “safety by design” principles to reduce user overconfidence and provide specific resources for rural users.
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Chen et al. (2026) studied this question.
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